Signorile, LCR's Moran face off over President Obama's 'fierce advocacy' and DOMA

by: Pam Spaulding

Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 07:00:00 AM EDT

LEMON: Is President Obama living up to his campaign promise to be a fierce advocate for gays and lesbians? Gay activists think Mr. Obama is backtracking on promises both on the campaign trail and in the White House. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that it is no secret that I am a fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans. It is something that I have been consistent on, and something that I intend to continue to be consistent on during my presidency.

We must continue to do our part to make progress, step by step, law by law, mind by changing mind. And I want you to know that in this task I will not only be your friend, I will continue to be an ally and a champion, and a president who fights with you and for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: But the Justice Department is fighting a lawsuit that challenges the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. Well, some say that adds hypocrisy.

Joining us is Sirius-XM host, Michelangelo Signorile, an author. He's in New York; and from New York, Charles Moran, spokesman for the Log Cabin Republicans.

Thank you very much, both of you.

You heard a couple of times, the president and once-candidate Obama says I'm a fierce advocate for gay rights.

Has that so far, do you feel, it's been the case, Charles?

CHARLES MORAN, SPOKESMAN, LOG CABIN REPUBLICAN SPOKESMAN: Well, the issue of being an advocate means you actually have to do something. And unfortunately all we've seen from the White House in the Obama administration is more rhetoric and not a lot of action. In fact, the most we've gotten is a little bit of a circuit party with a Madonna remix in the East Room of the White House. And unfortunately that just doesn't cut it. [WTF, lol?]

LEMON: OK, that's an interesting way to put it.

And listen, I'm looking at the filings here. It says, "The administration says it supports the repeal of the law." But in the same filing, "The Justice Department will defend the statute in that case, because a reasonable argument can be made that the law is constitutional," Michelangelo?

MICHELANGELO SIGNORILE, SIRIUS XM RADIO HOST: Look, the president has spoken very, very supportively of rights for gay and lesbian Americans. He has certainly showed a passion in the past, much more than Republicans. What he has lacked since taking office is courage. Courage to really move forward, move forward on repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, move forward on repeal of DOMA.

And he can do things right now even before repealing, he can stop the discharges under federal law of those people being discharged under Don't Ask Don't Tell. He can also decide not to fight the Defensive Marriage, not to fight the challenge. He can actually -- there's nothing in the Constitution that says you have to defend current law. George H.W. Bush actually did not defend current law when he was president, because he didn't believe in it, and his Justice Department made the argument that they weren't going to defend it. And the lawyer making the argument in the Justice Department was John Roberts, who is now the Supreme Court justice.

MORAN: You know, Michelangelo, I want to follow-up with you.

Log Cabin Republicans is the only organization right now that has a federal lawsuit filed against the Justice Department to block the -- to turn over Don't Ask Don't Tell on constitutional -- on an unconstitutional basis. We're calling on behalf of the Obama administration to instruct the Justice Department not to fight this law.

LEMON: Charles and Mike, this maybe the one area where conservatives and liberals might actually work together, because it seems that you two agree in tandem on this issue.

You mentioned something, Michael, you mentioned the former administration. And there's a bit of irony in that the former vice president supports gay marriage, and he has left President Obama's stance on gay marriage.

SIGNORILE: Yeah, absolutely. Dick Cheney has come out now in favor of marriage, equality. Of course, he didn't do that very specifically when he was vice president. He didn't have the courage himself at that time. Now that he's out of office, he has a lesbian daughter, he's speaking out.

Ted Olson, who was George Bush's solicitor general, is now arguing before the federal courts that Proposition 8 in California should be overturned, that gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry.

LEMON: Charles, then, why then do you think that the gay community feels that the president is not doing as much as they should? Why do you think he's not doing what he promised on the campaign trail?

MORAN: There is so much double speak coming out of the White House. And this is the problem. We have seen evidence where Rahm Emanuel's office has instructed their allies and the Congress to hold off on the introduction of legislation that would repeal DOMA and Don't Ask Don't Tell. They are looking for political cover and they're doing it at the expense of the gay and lesbian community. That's awful, given the fact that 70 percent of gays and lesbians voted for President Obama on the issue of change.

In some cases, you can argue that we sacrificed Proposition 8 out in California for the election of President Obama, and this is what we get, is putting on the brakes, not really taking any action where, you know, action is due.

LEMON: Charles, I want to let Michelangelo get in this. Mike, I'll give you the last word. We're out of time.

SIGNORILE: I agree with Charles completely on what's happening around Barack Obama. The big difference, from the campaign to now, are the people around Barack Obama who are making him move very cautiously on a variety of issues where he needs to forge ahead and be the man with passion who spoke so fervently about these issues during the campaign.

LEMON: Political insiders say the issues you're talking about, especially when it comes to gay rights, that those are second-term issues. They want to make sure he gets a second term, and then he will do that. In the meantime, a lot of people are waiting for him to overturn or do some things when it comes to the campaign, the promises he made.

Thank you, Charles Moran.

MORAN: Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you, Michelangelo Signorile. We appreciate it.